The invention relates to a device for checking autonomous solar installations, which comprise in each case at least a photovoltaic solar generator, a battery, a charge controller and a load as the components.
Autonomous solar installations, such as so-called solar home systems, abbreviated to SHS, autonomously supply especially domestic areas having a relatively low power consumption with power independently of a main supply. They are usually assembled from a photovoltaic solar generator, a battery, a charge controller as well as a load composed of, for example, several consumers, which are interconnected with one another. In order to ensure that such solar installations function in an orderly manner, as is frequently required for the very existence of the owners, it is necessary to check the individual components on a regular basis, in order to be able to identify threatening functional failures of the whole solar installations in good time. Until now, this checking was carried out by disconnecting the individual components of the solar installations from one another and checking them at great expense with a battery-supplied voltage source, a voltmeter, an ohmmeter, a clip-on ammeter and an acid leakage meter. However, for checking in an orderly manner, qualified technical personnel is required, since it is necessary not only to carry out relatively complicated measuring procedures at the individual components but also, after the individual tests are carried out, to connect the solar installation once again into a functioning state. Moreover, after the individual components have been connected once again into a functioning state, it is not possible to check the solar installation. However, this is a not inconsiderable problem for the planning and maintenance of a decentralized power supply, especially in developing countries.
It is an object of the invention, to provide a device for checking autonomous solar installations, which comprise, as components, in each case at least a photovoltaic solar generator, a battery, a charge controller and a load, which permits such solar installations to be checked simply, quickly and, nevertheless reliably even by less qualified technical personnel.
This objective is accomplished for a device of the type named above with means for connecting to the charge controller, uncoupled from the remaining components, with means for connecting to the or each solar generator, the or each battery as well as the or each load with the charge controller or controllers uncoupled, with means for testing, with which the components can be checked individually and when connected with one another in typical operational fashion for determining characteristic parameters and conditions for the functioning capability of the solar installation, which is to be checked, and with display means for indicating the checked parameters and conditions.
The device can be connected with connecting means on the one hand to at least one uncoupled charge controller and, on the other, to the remaining components of a solar installation, which is to be checked, such as a direct current system, supplied photovoltaically independently of a main supply, and the components can be checked with testing means individually or when connected with one another in a typical operational fashion, a solar installation can be checked without expensive modifications with a device, constructed as a hand testing implement with test lead trees and test plugs automatically without manual intervention even by less qualified personnel.
Advantageously, the connecting means comprise connector strips, which can be inserted into assigned socket terminal strips of connecting rail for the components, which can be interrupted by a bridge.
For the maintenance-free operation of the inventive device, the testing means and the display means advantageously can be connected over voltage converters for supplying power externally to at least one battery of the solar installation, so that problems with an internal energy supply, such as the availability of batteries are avoided even in remote areas with a poor infrastructure.
For checking switching thresholds of the at least one charge controller very accurately, the testing means advantageously comprise an adjustable reference voltage source.
Various test modes can be carried out in refinements of the inventive device.
In one setting of the testing means and the display means, a self-test, with which the efficiency over workability of control means and switching means can be checked, can be carried out to check the proper functioning.
In a further setting of the testing means and the display means, a solar generator test can be carried out, for which the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current of at least one solar generator can be measured with at least one battery and at least one load component uncoupled from the at east one charge controller.
In a further setting of the testing means and the display means, a battery test of the at least one battery can be carried out, for which the open circuit voltage, the voltage when the at least one load is connected as well as when the at least one solar generator and the charging current with the at least one load uncoupled are connected, can be measured.
In the case of the solar generator test and the battery test, the testing means advisably comprise a reference solar generator for determining the incident radiation from the sun.
In a further setting of the testing means and the display means, a load test can be carried out, for which the voltage and the current of the at least one load as well as the voltage of the at least one battery can be measured with the at least one solar generator uncoupled.
In the developments for carrying out the tests, it is advantageous when providing the adjustable reference voltage source that, in one setting of the testing means and display means for carrying out a charge controller test with the at least one solar generator, at least one battery as well as at least one load uncoupled, the adjustable reference voltage source can be connected to the at least one charge controller and the intrinsic consumption as well as the switching thresholds of the at least one charge controller can be checked.
For the charge controller test, the testing means advantageously have a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the surroundings.